$2.2m Rolls-Royce snapped up

[PanterroR]

The most expensive Rolls-Royce super-luxury car ever made has just been sold to a Chinese property developer in Beijing, the legendary marque's chairperson Ian Robertson said on Thursday.
The $2.2m built-to-order stretch Rolls-Royce Phantom boasts state-of-the art gadgets including an LCD entertainment system. It also has two rows of rear seats, facing each other.
"It was the most expensive car we've ever done," said Robertson, in Hong Kong for the unveiling of a fleet of 14 new Phantoms at the city's Peninsula Hotel.
Robertson wouldn't disclose the name of the buyer.
China has overtaken Japan as Rolls-Royce's biggest Asian market, with sales growth this year of 60% driven by the country's newly-rich entrepreneurs splashing out on the trappings of wealth.
The former British motoring legend is now owned by German car manufacturer BMW, which produces the Phantoms from a new factory in Goodwood, South England


Source: Wheels24

 

[Mr. M]

It is without a question that China will become RR's biggest market, eventually. There's a lot of new wealth.

 

[Centurion]

Here are pictures of the RR Phantom galore:

Phantom x 14 Fantastic colour combo too.

 

[Zonda]

Very nice pics!

 

[Mr. M]

Holy mama! Thanks Luw!

 

[LaArtist]

hot colour..cash money dollar green..haha

 

[Gullwing]

There was a James Bond movie, I think The Man With The golden Gun.
He follows a Green Rolls Royce in Hong Kong, all Green Rolls Royce belonged to a hotel.
I guess it is that hotel.

 

[Mr. M]

My dad says its a six-star hotel in Hong Kong, the Peninsula. What a collection of Phantoms they have... I believe they have old RRs as well.

 

[450SEL6.9]

Hope I'm not too late to this nice thread.

First, there are no official Six-Star Hotels in the world. I think the rating, done by Conde Nast, tops out at Six-Star.
However, I think my info may be outdated.

Peninsula is controlled by a wealthy Jewish family in Hong Kong, the Kadoories. The hotel had a huge car pool since
the 1970s and 1980s. Another hotel near the Peninsula, Regent, used primarily Daimler DS420s. Some of those were
put up for sale. I wonder what happened to the retired Peninsula cars. They were primarily Silver Clouds and Phantom Vs.

I don't understand why this Rolls-Royce costs $2.2 million. The Phantom LWB goes for $7 million Hong Kong Dollars or
$900,000 US. Hong Kong has a hefty car tax, but $2.2 million? What currency is that? The only way the price tag
could reach that much would be installation of armouring.

 

[ZicZachZo]

Is anyone else worried about the fast growth of China in the recent years and the fact that it is only growing? I think it's great that they are totally modernizing and what not. But, it is rather scary to think what the world will be like with essentially 2 USAs...

 

[Centurion]

Hope I'm not too late to this nice thread.

First, there are no official Six-Star Hotels in the world. I think the rating, done by Conde Nast, tops out at Six-Star.
However, I think my info may be outdated.

Peninsula is controlled by a wealthy Jewish family in Hong Kong, the Kadoories. The hotel had a huge car pool since
the 1970s and 1980s. Another hotel near the Peninsula, Regent, used primarily Daimler DS420s. Some of those were
put up for sale. I wonder what happened to the retired Peninsula cars. They were primarily Silver Clouds and Phantom Vs.

I don't understand why this Rolls-Royce costs $2.2 million. The Phantom LWB -goes for $7 million Hong Kong Dollars or
$900,000 US. Hong Kong has a hefty car tax, but $2.2 million? What currency is that? The only way the price tag
could reach that much would be installation of armouring.

I agree with you, the price tag is very hefty but the cars are very customised. They have:
-LWB-bodies
-Enlarged trunks
-Compartments for chilled towels
-Compartments in the doors for used towels
-Repositioned and enhanced lighting
12" LCD screens in the rear seat snack trays
-High-end 420-watt sound system
-MP3 jacks for the rear seat
-Relocated rear-seat climate controls
-Two rows of rear seats, facing each other
+ Lots of other non standard features.

I have pictures of a Rolex-green(paid by sample) Boxter with a 86 000 dollar price tag. Customusing a Phantom is even more expenive, though I do find 2.2 dollars a bit shady.

 

[SDNR]

Is anyone else worried about the fast growth of China in the recent years and the fact that it is only growing? I think it's great that they are totally modernizing and what not. But, it is rather scary to think what the world will be like with essentially 2 USAs...

It will be interesting to live in a world where the US is no longer "top Dog" -- for the first time in several hundred years, Asia will once again be the worlds leaders -- I imagine this will be very difficult for many westerners to accept -- but it is inevitable.

The thing is, western economies are extremely unstable with increasing trade deficits while China's foreign exchange reserves rise by 30 million dollars per hour.

 

[Mr. M]

Is anyone else worried about the fast growth of China in the recent years and the fact that it is only growing? I think it's great that they are totally modernizing and what not. But, it is rather scary to think what the world will be like with essentially 2 USAs...

Although China will be an economic superpower in the near future, I think that the USA will still remain as a cultural superpower - one that the world will look up to and adopt - I can scarcely imagine how people might be buying Chinese cars, watching operas and listening to Chinese songs in the future, unless my Westernised mind is clouding my vision.

 

[450SEL6.9]

It will be interesting to live in a world where the US is no longer "top Dog" -- for the first time in several hundred years, Asia will once again be the worlds leaders -- I imagine this will be very difficult for many westerners to accept -- but it is inevitable.

The thing is, western economies are extremely unstable with increasing trade deficits while China's foreign exchange reserves rise by 30 million dollars per hour.

Trade deficits need to be financed. It can only be done if there are countries willing to invest in American capital, such as bonds. I think the US Dollar is fundamentally flawed and still overvalued. If the Chinese, Japanese or any of the newer rich countries want to sell their US bonds, the dollar tanks and you could be looking at the next Great Depression. Americans don't save anymore! The chairman of Blackstone Group, a major private equity company, suggested that mandatory saving may be one of the few ways to turn nightmare household finances around in the USA. That too would be difficult for free-spending westerners to accept!

However, I too think China is overvalued. Look at Chinese banking and insurance stocks. Some have doubled and tripled within a year. They are trading at twice the valuation of international peers. Something in China has got to give as well. If China contracts their economy to curb or their property sector slumps, some of their banks may be in big trouble!

 

[450SEL6.9]

First I thought the $2.2 million price is South African Rand, but that only works out to $330,000 US. I don't see how $2.2 million is possible. I believe a Japanese company in Hong Kong or China ordered an armoured Maybach for $2 million US. As the Phantom and Maybach are similarly priced, I can't imagine an unarmoured Phantom, regardless of the level of customization, going for over $2 million.

What is the world coming to? China is still a poor country in the rural areas. The western world appears rich, but is heavily indebted. What do the chronically and hereditarily poor countries think when they see this level of consumption? How similar is the capitalistic world's excesses - ahem, $150 million contracts to play baseball - when compared to those of the Romans towards the end of their empire?

 

[Zafiro]